1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally) to a paper feeding apparatus and, more specifically, to an apparatus for feeding the uppermost sheet of paper from a stack of paper.
2. Description of the Related Art
Laid-open Japanese patent publication number H05-319669 discloses an example of a multi-functional document integrating apparatus that carries out post-processing such as bookbinding. The apparatus of the '669 publication achieves such post-processing by successively taking out the uppermost sheet of paper from a stack of paper loaded on a tray. Such an apparatus requires the advance stacking of sheets of paper on the tray in the order of processing that will follow.
When stacking sheets of paper on such a tray, it is difficult to place them in the correct horizontal position that assures proper feeding of the uppermost sheet of paper. For example, where the sheets of paper are stacked by various types of paper stacking apparatuses, the stacked position of sheets on the tray may vary with the paper stacking apparatuses and the sizes of the sheets of paper whereby it may be all the more difficult to stack the sheets in correct position. Hence, it is a general practice that after the sheets have been stacked on a tray, the user manually shifts the stacked sheets of paper to a position appropriate for paper feeding. A user generally shifts the stacked sheets of paper to a position appropriate for paper feeding after the sheets have been stacked on a tray.
There often occurs friction between the stacked paper and tray, however, when the stacked sheets of paper are moved in a horizontal direction. This friction makes it difficult to move the slack of paper horizontally while retaining the form of the stack. As such, there is a need in the art to overcome such difficulties.